Musings by me, myself and occasionally I. Be prepared for anything from sport to current affairs, politics to just real life. I hope you enjoy and thank you in advance for reading

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Miliband’s muddled thinking could cost Labour

Ed’s really dropped the ball these last few weeks hasn’t he? A few weeks ago the man was almost Prime Minister in waiting, now all of sudden he back to the ‘hmmmmm’ section.

The truth is from clarity and a position of strength, Ed and his team appear to have eaten too many Easter Eggs and dozed off.

He has allowed Cameron to dominate the welfare debate, to take the lead and use Thatcher’s death as a promotional tool for the Conservative Party and crucially, got his election strategy in a muddle.

Are Labour simply aiming for the 35 per cent mark in the polls, shoring up their core votes and hope a UKIP/Conservative bun fight hands them the keys to 10 Downing Street?

Or are they truly One Nation Labour, a party which picks up votes from ALL its rivals to command 40 plus per cent of the vote and a commanding House of Commons majority?

The truth of the matter is we don’t know and Miliband’s fight with Tony Blair only served to heighten tensions.

Labour’s relationship with Blair puzzles me, the man won three general elections yet to many he has become the anti-christ.

Over in America, Bill Clinton won two elections for the Democrats, embroiled himself in an almighty sex scandal yet is revered by the party and is now the elder statesman.

Ed has to realise he’s won the internal battle, his brother has gone, he now has to win the war. I am not suggesting for any moment he becomes son of Blair but he needs to reach out to him.

Recognise what Blair did for the party and for the country and move Labour as a whole into the new world he talks of. At the moment only his supporters are coming with him, the Blairites are sulking.Two more years of that though and Labour can kiss the country goodbye, a united Labour is the only way to destroy the sham marriage that is this coalition Government.

Ed is right not to spill detailed policy when pushed in a silly little interview from Nick Robinson, but the Beeb’s political editor is starting to bark up the right tree. The media’s eyes are on Labour to see what they will offer, it’s time to begin to feed the press pack.

The local elections soon will offer a guide to see how Labour is doing nationally but shouldn’t be taken as a finite view of the party at the moment.

Why? Because Labour were hammered in these elections in 2009 and once on the canvas you have to pick yourself up first before you win the fight....